Convertible stool and cane.



' No. 663,105. l Patented nec. 4, |900.

c. 0. suona, A. T. Rosen 0 F. 0. LIU/GREEN. CONVERTIBLE STOOI AND CANE.

(Application led Feb. 27. 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

' u. ss3,lo5. Patenten De. 4, |900. c. s. suona, Ayr, ausl-:M sz F. a. LILYGBEEN.

CONVERTIBLE; smal, Arm cAnE.

(Apglution filed Fam 8?. 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Ilo Il odel.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL G. SKOOG,ADOLPH T. ROSEN, AND FRANK G. LILYGREEN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA; SAID ROSEN AND LILYGREEN ASSTGNORS TO SAID SKOOG.

CONVERTIBLE STVOOL AND CANE.

SPECIFICATION forming pare of Letters Patent No. 663,105, dated December 4, ieoo.

Application iiled February 27, 1900. Serial No. 61675. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, CARL G. SKOOG,

ADoLrH T. RosEN,and FRANK G. LILYGREEN, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Stools, and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention has for its object to provide a folding stool of improved construction; and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims. Y

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a plan view showing the stool opened up. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stool opened as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section and partly in side elevation, showing the central portion of the stool. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing both the seat and the leg por-` tions of the stool as partially folded. Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation, showing the two sections of the stool disconnected and folded. Fig. 6 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, principally in vertical section, on the line osg x9 of Fig. 4, some parts being broken away and others being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail in section on the line 0010 x10 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line ai :r11 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9312 .9012 of Fig. 6.

The central portion of the folding stool isin the form of a short tube a. Into the upper end of the tube a. a much shorter tube or sleeve d is driven and secured bya rivet a2. (See Fig. 6.) Resting upon and supported by the upper end of the sleeve o. is a ball-raceor runway a3, which is perforated at its center to freely pass a spacing-sleeve a4. A vertical spindle b snugly'its within the spacing-sleeve 0.4, and on the lower end of said spindle b is a washer b/,which engages the lower ends of the sleeves a and a4, the same being held in position by the lower end of the said spindle, which is riveted, as shown at b2. A bearing-cone c is driven onto the spindle b, with its extreme lower end in engagement with the upper end of the spacing-sleeve CL4 and with its peripheral iiange c' loosely overlying the upper end of the tube c1, to practically close the upper end of said tube a against the entrance of dirt. Between the ball-race t3 and the bearingcone c is a plurality of bearing-balls d.' The spindle b is provided with a longitudinallyextended groove b3, in which a key-like projection c2 of the cone c engages to fix the said cone in a predetermined rotary position on the said spindle, this being `done for a reason which will presently appear.

Resting directly upon the upper hub portion of the cone o is a light metal cap @,which is formed from a instal disk having peripheral notches e', with the intervening tongues e2 turned downward, as best shown in Fig. 9, to form a series of spacing-partitions. This cap e is also provided with a key-like projection e3, which engages the longitudinally-extended groove b3 of the spindle b to position the said cap inits proper rotary adjustment on said spindle. On the spindle b, above the cap e and preferably spaced apart therefrom by a wire washer e4, is a hinge-disk f, which is provided with a plurality of marginal perforations f', as best shown in Fig. 8. This disk f is also provided with a key projection f2, which works in the groove b3 of the spindle b to properly position the said disk. At the upper end of the spindle b is another hinge-disk f3, provided with marginal perforations f4 and a key projection f5, which latter engages the groove b3 of the spindle b. The hinge-disks fand f3 'are spaced apart by a light sleeve f6 on the spindle b. The parts are thus held together when the upper end of the spindle b is riveted or upset, as shown at b4.

The marginal portionA of the seat is formed by a plurality of toggle-levers g, that are pivotally connected to form a flexible endless marginal band or rim. The pivotal joints between the toggle-levers are pivotally connected by suitable rivets to the outer ends of radial tension-rods g',the inner ends of which tension-rods are formed with eyes or hooked IOO inner 'ends of which are provided with eyes;

or hooks g4, which pivotally `connect them one to each perforation f of the lower hingel disk v Aseries of compression-rods g5,correspond ing in number to the number of rods g and also the numberof rods g3, are pivotally con-5 i nected at their inner ends, one within each,

notch e of the cap e, by means of awire ring g, which is passed through suitable perfora-` tions in the flattened inner ends of the said tension-rods. This hinge-wire g6 is preferably a split ring, being provided with bent ends g7, which,while they prevent the ends of the tension-rods g5 from slipping from the same when the parts are inworking position, permit the perforated ends of the said rods to be readily threaded thereon in the process of putting together parts of the seat, and itv will of course be understood that the said:

parts must all be put together before the ends kof the spindle b are riveted. ends the tension-rods g5 are formed with flattened and upturned ends g8, that are perfo-.V

rated and slide one'on each tension-rod g.

When the seat is spread out ready for use as shown in Figs. l and 2, the perforated attened ends g8 of the compression-rods g5 engage against the roundedends of the togglelever sections and act as 'stops to prevent the downward movement of the marginal togglelever rim of the seat. Hence when a person sits upon the seat his weight is sustained byl the tension-rods g and the compression-rods g5. It is of coursein the nature of this construction that the compression-rods g5should be much heavier than the tension-rods g.

To fold the seat itis only necessary to force the same upward, as shown in Fig. 4, under which action the so-called toggle breaking or buckling rods g3. simultaneously buckle all of the toggle-levers g to permit the seat to be completely folded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. It is importantto note that the said rods g3 are attached at their inner ends to a part located far below the upper hinge-disk f3 and in the immediate vicinity of the pivots for the inner ends of the compression-rods g5. This causes the said rods g3 to pull downward on the intermediate joints of the toggle-levers when the rods g and g5 are folded upward. It is also important that the said lower hingediskf o`r'corr`esponding part be fixedagain'st sliding .movement on the spindle b, for the reason that the simple act of throwing the tension aud compression rods upward breaks or buckles the toggle-levers. l

Y The lower portion of the stool is shown in its foldedV position at the right in Fig. 5, but

the construction thereof is better shown in v1..*`igs.'2'and 3. Three folding legs 7o, which At their outerf are U-shaped in cross-section, are employed in the best arrangement of the device. At their upper ends these legs k are bifurcated and are pivoted one to each flange of a threeribbed standard k', the upper end of which is rigidly secured within a thiinble, k2, which thimble snugly fits and frictionally telescopes into the lower end of the seat-tube o., being provided with an annular ange 7c3 at its lower end, which limits the downward movement thereon of the said tube a. Leaf-springs 7a4, which, as shown, are secured to the legs 7c, between the fianges thereof, and engage the corresponding flanges of the standard 7c', tend to throw the said legs radially outward to their extreme open positions.l At their eX- treme ,lower ends the saidlegs are preferably flanged or flared outward, as shown at ks, to prevent themfrom'diggi'ng into the ground if placed on soft soil and also to prevent them from scratching a floor upon which the stool may be set. The spreading movements of the legs k are limited by links k6, the outer ends of which are pivoted between the flanges of the legs 7a, near their outer ends, and the inner ends of which arebifurcated and embrace the corresponding iianges'of the standard 7a', being pivoted for sliding movements thereon by rivets or pins', which work in longitudinal slots las, cut inthe anges'of said standard, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The links 707 are preferably U -shaped in crosssection and of such size Vas to permit-them to yfold'within or between the flanges of the legs la. f This permits the parts to be folded in the smallest 'possible space. The slots 708 must be long enough to permit the legs to be folded together. n p

As shown in Fig. 5, the stool may be separated into two sections and each section be folded separately, softhat the stool may be 'packed within very small space and may be either carried in the pocket orplaced within a small case or holder provided forthe same.

The stool-legs will be automatically spread or thrown apart, and if lthe stool be set upright the seat will spread or open up by the action of gravity, or if it should not so open at any timea slight shakewill insure the action.

`/Ve are now to further considerone of the most important features of our invention, which consists in applying a ball-bearing in the stool, between the seat and thesupporting-legs. These supporting-legs m ustin a device of this character be quite light, and they cannot be rigidly braced against lateral or torsional strains. In our many previous eX- periments with these folding stools we have found it impossible to provide legs of 1 sufficient lightness and of sufficiently simple construction'to make the device practicable for m'ost purposes which would stand the lateral or torsional strains put upon them in use. A person sitting upon a stool inevitably twists his body, and these strains being transmitted `through the stool would Pin ashort time twist IOO IIO

eealo the legs out of shape. However, by the application of the ball-bearing a person sitting upon the seat and twisting around will simply turn the seat on the ball-bearing, and no torsional strains of any consequence will be put upon the legs. The introduction of the ballbearing into the device not only greatly improves the action, but makes it possible to use folding legs for the stool of practicable construction for combination with a cane or of such light vconstruction as to be adapted to be folded within small space.

The reader may receive a good idea of the compactness of the folding stool when taken apart, as shown in Fig. 5, from the statement that these two parts of the stool may be placed within a case thirteen inches long and having a transverse area of one by two inches.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. A folding stool, involving in combination a connected series of toggle-levers, a central spindle or stem, a series of tension-rods connecting alternate joints of said toggle-levers to said spindle or stem, a corresponding series of compression-rods pivoted to a part on said spindle and sliding at theirouter ends on said tension-rods, a fixed part on said spindle below the inner ends of said tension-rod, and a series of toggle-breaking rods connecting the intermediate joints of said toggle-levers to said part fixed against sliding movement on said spindle, whereby said togglelevers will be automatically buckled when said tension and compression rods are pressed upward, substantially as described.

2. In a folding stool, the combination with a tube d, of folding legs attached to the lower end thereof, the spindle b having: the Vertically-spaced hinged disks f and f3, to which the folding parts of the seat are attached, the bearing-cone c on said spindle, the ballrace cts and washer b on said spindle, the sleeve a4 spacing said washer b and cone c, and the sleeve d spacing said washer b and said ball-race d3, substantially as described. y 3. In a stool, the combination with the seat and the standard 7c provided with Vertically-slotted anges, of the legs k pivoted to the Iianges of said standard and embracing the same, and the links k6 pivoted at their outer ends between the flanges of said legs Za and pivoted at their inner ends in the longitudinal slots las of said anges, whereby when the legs are folded said links embrace said flanges, and said legs embrace said links and said flanges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CARL G. SKOOG. ADOLPH T. ROSEN. FRANK Gr. LILYGREEN. Witnesses:

M. MCGRORY, F. D. MERCHANT. 

